A New Tide

Performer: Gomez
Producer: Brian Deck
Distributor: RED Distribution

Notes: On A NEW TIDE, Gomez's second full-length outing for ATO Records, the British alt-rock ensemble presents one of its most immediately accessible albums. While the group's renowned eclecticism hasn't been completely abandoned (see the jaunty, organ-tinged "If I Ask You Nicely"), it has largely been replaced by a more straightforward folk-tinged pop approach that finds them in the same earnest, emotive vein as label-mate David Gray, a move that makes sense considering their surprisingly devoted American fanbase. Standout songs of A NEW TIDE include the amped-up "Little Pieces," the spare "Lost Track," and the chiming "Win Park Slope," all tunes that carry radio-ready appeal.

Spin (p.79) - "[The] dots and loops still ripple throughout Gomez's sixth studio album....But A NEW TIDE also contains some of the band's most straightforward material yet..." CMJ - "Sometimes a well written, memorable, almost familiar tune works better than something experimental. And that's why Gomez is still relevant." Down Beat (p.58) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he band expands its musical scope, embellishing its songs with unusual textural arrangements that a dynamics-loving jazz band could admire." Paste (magazine) (p.66) - "'Win Park Slope' is all slide blues and muffled darkness. And the fuzz returns on 'Airstream Driver,' a quirky, catchy songs that should thrill Gomez fans old and new." Clash (magazine) (p.110) - "Gomez have retained their warmth and bravery....A NEW TIDE is an experimental record propelled by stoner-boogies, ghost choirs and cackling witch doctors."

This five-piece combo led by Ben Ottewel sure doesn't come across as a British band. Moreover, Gomez's blues-based music sounds quintessentially American, albeit filtered through a modern, beat-oriented prism. When their 1998 debut album, BRING IT ON, earned Gomez a coveted prize for best British album of the year, it served as a strong affirmation of the band's prodigious talents.

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